School of Library Archive and Information Studies
Module G035 - systems management
Network analysis exercises
With acknowledgement to Robin Beaumont and Nigel
Hartland
The following exercises (in two sections) will give you practice in the techniques we
have been looking at relating to network analysis and planning. You have the rest of the
morning’s class session to get as far as you can, but you should complete all the
exercises in the first section before next week’s class, when we will review the results.
The exercises in the second section are optional, and you may undertake some, all, or
none of them as you wish, but you may find them useful...
Section 1: Mandatory exercises
Exercise 1
Draw a network diagram for “sending a letter” including the following activities:
Write letter
Put in envelope
Address letter
Put stamp on letter
Post letter
Exercise 2
Draw a Network diagram and determine the Critical Path and duration of the project (in
days) for the following data.
Activity Durations (Days) Preceding Activity
A 1 -
B 4 A
C 2 A
D 3 A
E 3 B,C,D
F 3 E
Exercise 3
Draw a network diagram for “writing a research paper” including the following
activities:
Agree subject area with supervisor
Review literature
Prepare section headings
Prepare first draft
Initial discussion of first draft with supervisor
Email first draft for per review
Collate email review comments
Prepare final draft
Discuss final draft with supervisor
Prepare final version
Disseminate
Review comments on final version
Present findings
Exercise 4
Draw a Network diagram and determine the Critical Path and duration of the project (in
days) for the following data.
Durations Preceding
Activity Resources used
(Days) Activity
A 2 Designer A -
B 1 Fitter A A
C 2 Fitter B A
D 2 Fitter C B,C
E 3 Engineer A D
F 4 Engineer B D
G 2 Inspector E,F
If Activity C was increased by 2 days what would happen to the duration of the project
and why?
Could activity E be increased by 1 day and have no affect on the duration of the
project?
If the cost per day is £1000 what is the total cost of the project?
(if you have time, you might like to produce a Gantt chart of the data too)
Exercise 5
Draw a network diagram for “putting on a half day seminar”.
Section 2: Optional exercises
Exercise 6
Draw the Network diagram and determine the Critical Path and duration of the project
(in days).
Durations Resources
Activity Activity Preceding Activity
(Days) used
A Cut material 1 Machine A -
B Drill material 3 Machine B A
C Cut material 2 Machine A B
D Shape material 3 Machine C B
E Cut material 1 Machine A D
F Polish material 4 Machine D C,E
What is the most that activity C could be increased by to have no affect on the overall
duration of the project? Could activity B be increased by 2 days and have no affect on
the overall duration of the project? What level of slack is available on activity D ?
Exercise 7
Durations Preceding
Activity Resources used
(Days) Activity
A 2 Machine A -
B 3 Machine B A
C 1 Machine C A
D 4 Machine D C
E 5 Machine A D
F 2 Machine E B
G 3 Machine C B
H 5 Machine B F,G
I 2 Machine A H
J 3 Machine E E,I
If the cost per day is £2000, what is the overall cost of the project? Could activity E be
increased by 2 days and have no affect on the duration of the project? What is the most
that activity D can be increased by to have no affect on the overall duration of the
project ? (NB you might find it helpful here if you create a Gantt chart of the data)
Exercise 8
Draw a network diagram for your career development in the next five years...
Andy Dawson
Last revised 10/2012
